Large capacity ammunition magazine

Abstract

An improved magazine wherein cartridges are loaded therein in two nested helical rows. Improvements further include a spring loaded feed lip bar which permits rapid loading and unloading of the magazine; a rod inside the drive spring in the magazine which prevents kinking and other undesirable operation characteristics of the main drive spring and which also permits the main drive spring tension to be released only when the magazine is not mounted on the cooperating gun; and a folding winder which is part of the magazine's rear end clutch and winder assembly which speeds winding of the spring.

We claim: 
     
       1. An ammunition magazine for a gun, said magazine being of an elongated, generally cylindrical configuration, said magazine comprising an outer housing, a drive member for ammunition cartridges rotatably mounted within said outer housing, said drive member being formed with a plurality of flutes extending at least generally axially of said drive member, said flutes being so configured as to permit a succession of said cartridges to pass therethrough in end-to-end relationship, said drive member having a predetermined outside diameter, said outer housing having a predetermined inside diameter, said drive member outside diameter and said housing inside diameter both being predetermined with respect to the particular size of the ammunition cartridges with which said magazine is to be used so that said cartridges are arranged in said magazine in nested inner and outer helical rows, the cartridges in said inner helical row being located in the flutes of said drive member, each cartridge in said outer helical row being located radially outwardly and tangentially in contact with two adjacent cartridges in said inner helical row, said housing comprising helical rib means on the inside surface thereof cooperable with the cartridges in both of said helical rows, and feed ramp means at the cartridge exit of said magazine to permit the cartridges therein to be fed one by one out of said magazine. 
     
     
       2. The magazine of claim 1, said cartridges being of a tapered configuration, and said outer housing comprising second rib means located between the flights of said first mentioned helical rib means and adapted to urge said tapered cartridges into contact with said flutes of said drive member. 
     
     
       3. The magazine of claim 1, said helical rib means having a dimension measured radially of said magazine sufficiently large so as to contact the cartridges in both of said nested inner and outer helical rows.